It’s time we gave our bodies the credit they deserve

We are too hard on our bodies, don’t you think? We are always quick to point out the ways they don’t measure up to our expectations. They’re always too fat, too thin, too pale, too dark, too scarred, to flabby, too wrinkled, too weak… whatever.

Yesterday I had to have a LEEP procedure under general anesthesia.

The process is intimidating — they put you under, like all the way under. This isn’t the pleasant “twilight sleep” like when you get your colonoscopy, but the full on breathing tube required type of shut your body down anesthesia.

I had been under such anesthesia before, but that was back in my 20s when my mother’s insistence on using my 80 lb self as her moving crew caused a hernia that needed to be repaired.

Now I’m 52, with lupus, a herniated disc in my neck that causes excruciating pain, and a generally much creakier 108 lb frame.

Isn’t getting older fun?

So back to the LEEP procedure.

The purpose is to remove potentially cancerous cells from the cervix and biopsy them.

Once you’re under, they take a wire, heat it up with electricity, and then use it to slice out a nice portion of your cervix. Then they cauterize the edges of what remains to prevent bleeding and kill off any remaining bad cells.

Yes, you read that right — I let them induce temporary death on my body so that they could electrocute my lady parts and then burn them with a hot poker. OK maybe not a hot poker, but still.

I was terrified of being put under and of what the aftermath of pain and bleeding would be like should I survive the anesthesia. I know, melodramatic, right? But seriously, the risk is never 0, and I’m not getting any younger.

Besides, I had read all kinds of horror stories from women much younger than I who endured weeks, months, even a year of cramping, bleeding, and lack of feeling during sex after such a procedure.

The whole thing took just over an hour and then I was being welcomed back to consciousness by my “wake up nurse.” And here is where my realization of how much credit I owe my body begins…

Coming out of anesthesia was a mildly groggy experience, but I was sitting up and feeling like I was ready for coffee and cereal within 10 mins. They had warned me of a potential two hour recovery time in the hospital, but I was released in less than an hour, barely even dizzy and with very little pain.

Upon arriving home, I did my body the favor of letting it rest, even though it really didn’t feel like it needed much down time.

And I began to think about how much credit I owe to this resilient, enduring, and reliable body of mine. Sure, it has its aches and pains, has acquired its share of chronic conditions, and lets me know when it’s had enough of my crap. But when really put to the test, it always comes through for me, and takes every hit with the least amount of trouble possible.

I am grateful to my body, and am going to show that gratitude by treating it well, feeding it well, giving it time to recover even when it hasn’t asked for it, and not allowing anyone to treat it badly, including myself.

And I urge you, dear reader, to take a moment to connect with and appreciate your body too. Because it’s the one thing you can be sure will always have your back as best it can and will definitely never leave your side.